Complications
by Calming Breezes
Summary: Soul and Maka finally tied the knot! However, when they start a family, Stein can't help but notice something eerily familiar and wrong with the pregnancy. So he calls in the help of two people who think just like him...his twin children!
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Soul Eater, but merely wish to write this for my own personal entertainment. Enjoy and please tell me how I did. :)

Chapter 1: The Twins

Stein walked down the long hallway. He lit a cigarette and watched the sun dying. It made him think of the past, but quickly shoved such thoughts away._ I can't think of that. _

"Professor?"

Stein turned to see Maka and Soul standing behind him. He knew they had been following him. He always knew.

"Yes, Maka?"

"We were wondering if-"

"Oh, you're pregnant."

Maka's face turned red. Soul's scowl depended and Stein smirked. He figured that Maka and Soul would become pregnant. They had been wanting to for a while.

"Is the baby okay?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Stein asked as he tilted his head backward.

He read the soul of the child. It was strong, but reserved. Stein could feel that the child was going to be a great weapon. However, he saw something was a bit off with the child. It-

"Have you been having the regular symptoms?"

"She barfed on my bike and me this morning. Yesterday she almost killed me because I got low fat chips. The day before that she was crying because the sun wasn't as bright as it usually was. I think she has-"

"MAKA CHOP!"

Soul rubbed his head as Maka pulled her book off it. Stein felt his smile widen. This couple always brightened his day with menial antics.

"How about your diet? I'm assuming you changed it when you first figured out."

"Yes, I did everything that I was supposed to do! Negus has been checking out the baby, but I just feel like there's something wrong."

"Well, I don't think there is much I can tell you aside from just wait out the pregnancy. I don't think the child is in any danger so don't worry too much. Try to not exert yourself too much. Soul, you can make sure of that."

"I can keep an eye on myself."

"You push yourself almost as hard as Black star." Soul muttered.

"I suppose that is all the advice I can give you. I'll check the child when you come to visit Negus if you want."

"Thanks Professor."

Stein watched the meister and weapon walk away. They were arguing over whether Maka did push herself almost as hard as Black star. He chuckled to himself as he left the academy.

Maka had become a professor and Soul had achieved the title death scythe. It was not long after Lord Death made Soul his personal scythe that Soul had proposed to Maka. Spirit had thrown a fit, but since when did Maka pay any mind to Spirit. The wedding had been extravagant, mainly because of Liz and Patty (Kid helped too, but was soon kicked off the planning committee because he was slowing them down).

"Stein."

Stein looked up to see Negus standing outside the infirmary door. He had somehow walked there during his flashback.

"I'm guessing you want to talk to me about the child of Maka and Soul?"

"Yes. It seems that there's something odd about the infant, but nothing wrong."

"I saw that when I read the soul. It is still forming so I couldn't really get a good read. I do know the child is going to be a weapon and a strong one at that."

"Did Maka talk to you about it?"

"Yes. She asked me to check on it when she comes to visit you."

"I was going to ask the same."

"I'll be here, Negus. The infant intrigues me."

Stein went back to his laboratory. His thoughts still on the infant of the Evans's. Something was off, and that something gnawed at Stein. He wanted to figure out what it was, but knew that only time would tell.

The child's oddness was very troublesome. Stein had never been stumped before. He thought that the child shouldn't be any odder than the parents. Then again, the black blood in Maka and Soul might have some effects on the baby.

"I think a little experiment is in order." Stein said to himself.

Stein lifted himself from his office chair and got ready for sleeping. He would start the experiment tomorrow and call in some helpers. He felt an odd fluttering inside him. He hadn't talked to the Twins for years. They were almost grown up, but still as strange as ever. He doubted they would ever settle down, let alone fall in love. They were in love with their work, and that was fine with Stein.

The next morning, Stein got packed. The Twins lived only a few miles outside Death City, but they had hidden themselves with traps. Stein trembled a little when he thought of someone actually being able to bypass the traps.

Stein arrived at the Twin's house by noon. The sun was blazing in the sky and only heightened Stein's urge to get inside. The house was perfectly hidden by the paint that matched the desert perfectly. Stein found the stairs to the front porch and walked up. As soon as he opened the door, he was attacked by the huge Dobermans that the Twin's had created.

These Dobermans were made to deflect a soul attacks. They were huge, dark, and intimidating. They were half electronic, half actual dog. That way they would live forever. Stein, however, wasn't scared. He knew the phrase for them to stop.

"Lemon drop."

The dogs stopped, sat on their hind legs, and panted happily at Stein. A low rumble came from the staircase. The Twins were experimenting.

Stein walked slowly up the stairs and rounded the corner. He carefully opened the door and saw sparks flying around the room. The Twins were creating a new animal/machine.

Asami was the first to notice Stein. She squealed and jabbed her brother in the ribs. Hideaki jumped, turned, and smiled as he saw Stein. The two siblings ran to meet Stein. They hugged him, though he didn't return the hug. He never did.

"Hey Dad!"

"Hello Asami."

"Dad! Did you see Frank and Jack? They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Dad, we just created a bird with surveillance cameras, microphones, voice recognition, and missile launching devices!"

"That's interesting, Hideaki."

"So, why are you here? Do you have a problem?"

"I have an experiment. However, it seems I need you two as helpers."

"Well, we kind of have our own experiment we've wanted to do."

"Oh?"

"Yes, we wanted to study the inner workings of human relationships."

"You won't have to search much. You'd be at the DWMA, which is a perfect spot to find relationships to study. The subject of my experiment is a married couple that were former students. "

"We'll be packed in five minutes." Asami and Hideaki said simultaneously.

Stein waited for the Twin's as they ran through the house, gathering equipment and needed supplies. They were packed in three minutes and out of the house in two. They bounced around Stein as he trudged along in the sand. The sun was starting to tire and Stein knew that they should get back to Death City.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Twins Enroll

They got to the DWMA where Stein enrolled his children. He didn't change their last names and made then a few years younger. Lord Death was happy that Stein's kids were going to be attending the DWMA. After all, Stein was the greatest meister Lord Death had ever seen.

"So, kids, are you weapons or meisters?" Lord Death said as he bounced up and down.

"Hideaki's a meister. I'm his weapon." Asami said as she pointed to her brother.

"Well, I do suppose they can enroll in the middle of classes and not have to worry about lagging behind too much. You're their father so I suppose you can catch them up in the lessons."

"Yes, but they are here mainly for their experiment. I doubt they'll pay much attention to the teacher in their classes or ask relevant questions."

"I don't think they'll be a huge distraction."

"Have you ever been in a close relationship, Lord Death?"

Lord Death looked at Hideaki. Stein tensed at first, but soon realized that Lord Death wouldn't hurt the children. They were far too powerful to disappoint.

"Well, I- Kid? What are you doing here?" Lord Death asked suddenly.

Kid, who had entered the death room, was looking around for something. He turned his head up and saw his father was staring at him.

"Liz and Patty decided to play hide-and-go-seek. I didn't want to so they moved something in my house and said they wouldn't tell me what it was until I played their game. I can't stand it!"

"Can't you look around the house and fix it?"

"I did, but they managed to move something that I can't find!"

"Who might Liz and Patty be?" Asami asked with sudden interest.

"My weapons...who might you be?" Kid asked as he stared at Asami.

"So you have been in a close relationship." Hideaki said as he jotted notes down in his journal.

"I suppose you could say-"

"And did you use the traditional institution of marriage or just remained a pre-engaged couple?"

"Hideaki, Asami, I do believe that you should go to my home."

"What about our enrollment, Dad?"

"There's nothing more you can do. Just be ready for school tomorrow."

"All right, Dad! I'll make some dinner."

"I'll upgrade the security because I'm sure you haven't paid any attention to it!"

Hideaki and Asami quickly ran out of the death room. Lord Death and Kid turned to face Stein. Kid had a look of horror and confusion on his face. Lord Death cocked his head to the side.

"Sooooo, twins?" Lord Death asked with enthusiasm.

"Yes, but it was a long time ago."

"Who might their mother be?"

"An old friend." Stein said calmly as he stared at Kid.

Kid got the hidden message. Stein didn't want to talk about her and that was fine...for now. Children of Stein should be watched carefully in Kid's opinion.

"Weapon and meister twins. Are they paired?"

"Yes, and they haven't been as determined on catching kishin souls as most students have."

"Well, that can be easily fixed. After all, Maka is going to be their teacher for that. If there's anyone who can motivate a person, it's Maka Evans. And by the way, did Negus speak with you?"

"She did. Are you worried as well, Lord Death?"

Lord Death did not reply, but he turned back to the mirror and stared into it. He wanted to know if his hunch was right or not. If it was then the Evans family was about to have huge problems.

"Just keep an eye on that one."

Stein entered his laboratory and was instantly attacked by three huge mechanical creatures. The Twins had been busy.

"Are you surprised Dad?" Hideaki asked as he bounced around the room.

"Just where exactly did you find the metal needed for these creatures?" Stein asked as the snake coiled around his arm.

"Well, it came from the scraps we managed to pack in our bags. Aren't you happy with our creations?"

Stein stopped pushing a dog that was wrapped around his leg. The Twins knew that he was not the best person when it came to emotions. He had studied emotions closely, but they were irrelevant to most of his experiments. When he did become a father, he treated it as if he was experimenting with himself. He felt that he had done well so far, watching them grow up, making sure they didn't get into too much trouble, and teaching them what he thought were the important things to know about life. However, they did not act like other children he had seen during his time at the academy. He felt something inside him drop. He had felt this only one time before.

_This must be what failure feels like. I feel like my insides are twisting and dropping at the same time._

"Dad? Are you okay?"

Stein looked up at the Twins. They were expectantly waiting for his response. They yearned for approval from their father that still didn't seem to accept that they were his children.

"Yes, the creatures function like the natural counterparts. You did well."

Asami smiled and pulled on her father's hand. Stein followed without resistance. He felt like he owed the Twins something, yet he didn't know quite why. _Perhaps because I feel like I failed them as a father._

"Dad, we're going to make dinner for you. Is that okay?"

"I doubt you could. I haven't gotten any groceries lately."

"What have you been eating then?"

"I've been studying the effects starvation has on the human body. Apparently I didn't study it well enough last time."

"Are you sure that's safe?"

"Safety isn't my priority."

"Do you mind if we eat?"

"Why should I?"

"We might interfere with your experiment."

"There's a low chance of that happening."

Stein watched the Twins eat. He spoke with them over possible couples to target for their experiment. They seemed happy that he was helping them. Stein still felt that he had failed the children.

The next morning the Twins got ready for their first day at DWMA. They were ecstatic as Stein walked with them to the front doors.

"Maka!"

Stein turned to see Soul bent over Maka who was lying on the ground. Apparently she had fallen. Stein jogged down the DWMA stairs and knelt down beside the young meister. She had beads of sweat covering her face. She was trembling as she attempted to get back up.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Realization

"I told you not to push yourself."

"I didn't think getting off a bike was that hard." Mala said through clenched teeth.

"It can be in your condition."

"What? I've seen girls far more pregnant than me get off bikes without a problem!"

"They weren't in your condition!" Soul yelled as he helped Maka up.

"Is that true Professor Stein? Is there something wrong?"

"I told you not to push yourself," Stein turned to face Soul who had a worried look on his face. "Soul, take her back home. I'll have Lord Death arrange for a substitute for this week."

"But, Professor-"

"You are to stay in bed for this week. Soul and I can take care of things at the academy. Blair can babysit you until I say you are well enough to teach. If you don't trust my advice, ask Negus. She will say the same."

Maka frowned angrily. Soul picked Maka up and carefully put her back on the bike. Stein watched as they drove off. He looked at the soul of the unborn child. It looked so familiar to Stein, but he hoped it wasn't true.

"Uh, Dad? Is she carrying a-"

"I thought so, but now that you've seen it then I guess my suspicions were true. We should probably prepare ourselves for when the child comes. Come along, it wouldn't be wise to be late on your first day."

"Don't forget to speak with Lord Death about a substitute! Oh, and Dad?"

Stein stopped walking. He waited for Asami to speak. She twiddled her fingers and stared at the ground. Asami looked back at Hideaki who also had taken to staring at the ground.

"What is it?"

"Do-do you think it will end like the last time?"

"Time will tell."

Asami nodded and followed her brother up the stairs. She paused and turned back to her father. He was gazing at the sky, stuck in the past. Asami strode over to her father and put her hand in his. Stein jumped from her startling gesture of compassion and love. He never thought that she would actually show that their relationship had some actual essence. She had signs of crying in her eyes.

"We won't let that happen. Not again."

"I know we won't, Asami. I have you two to help with the experiment. This should be easier and less painful than the last occurrence of this."

Stein brought the Twins to their classroom, where the students were waiting for Professor Evans who wasn't going to be there. Stein decided to call Lord Death with the mirror Maka kept in her desk.

"Ah, Professor Stein! What might be your inquiry?"

"I deemed her unfit for working for the rest of the week. You should assign a substitute."

"I'll take it."

Stein and Lord Death turned to see Soul Evans standing in the doorway. He was looking at the ground and seemed to be his cool and collected self. However, Stein knew better than to think Soul had gotten over the event of Maka falling so quickly. He knew that Lord Death wouldn't mind, but he was more worried about what Maka would do with only Blair to watch her.

"Well, I see we have a volunteer! Welcome, students, my personal weapon, Soul Evans! Please, don't think he'll go easy on you because you are students at this academy."

"That should mean I get to push you harder." Soul said with his shark teeth shining with pleasure.

Lord Death disappeared from the mirror and Stein sauntered over to Soul. He stared Soul deeply into the eyes until the weapon was forced to look away. Stein realized that Soul had done this on Maka's behalf.

"So, did she order you to replace her or was that of your own accord?"

"A little of both. I wanted to speak with you, Professor."

"About what?"

"You know what's wrong with Maka, don't you? You just aren't telling us because we're still kids and you don't want to worry us."

"There's nothing wrong with Maka."

"Then how come she fell off the bike?"

"Pregnancy can sometimes alter a female's ability to-"

"I know when you're lying Stein. Tell me what's wrong with Maka."

"Nothing. Nothing yet, at least."

"What do you mean 'yet'?"

"I'm not quite sure if what I think might be wrong is true. There's no sense in startling you with what might not exist."

"What do you think is wrong?"

"I'll run some tests and answer your question later. The students have had enough time gossiping."

Soul thought about how Stein had acted throughout the class. He had never seen the professor so troubled since the kishin Asura had risen. Something was definitely wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Twins Experiment

The next class came in and Soul was shocked to see two students he had seen earlier that morning with Stein! He remembered that they were Stein's kids. He smiled, maybe he was going to find out what was bothering Stein so much.

"Professor Evans won't be here for this week. I'm your substitute, Mr. Evans. Be quiet while I take roll."

Soul went through the roll sheet and marked those present, absent, and tardy. He then proceeded to tell the kids to study, though his wink told them otherwise. The Twins hands shot up and excitedly asked if they could interview Soul for an experiment.

_Creepy, but they are Professor Stein's kids. I also need this excuse to talk to them privately._

"So, how long have you been married to Professor Evans?" Asami asked Soul.

"About a year. It was around the same time that I became a death scythe."

"And when did you realize your feelings for her had changed from platonic to romantic?"

"What?" Soul asked the boy.

"When did you stop being just friends?" Asami restated, rolling her eyes at her brother.

"Oh, well…after we caught the 80th kishin egg, I guess."

"And how far did physical contact go?"

"What?"

"Did you hold hands, kiss, or anything?" Asami asked as she jabbed her brother who was still oblivious to what his question implied.

"Yeah."

"All right, and what was your initial reaction when you realized you were going to be a father? Have you been preparing yourself for fatherhood? If so, then what have been your training regiments?"

"I'm worried now, if that's what you're asking."

"Why are you worried?" Hideaki asked, though Soul could tell Asami was disconcerted by his reply.

"Well, Professor Stein seems worried about her. Shouldn't that be enough reason for me to worry?"

"But-what we reviewed from our father-you aren't acting normal."

"I guess when you have reason to believe your wife might die, you tend to not act normal."

Asami flinched from Soul's last statement. Soul knew he would get information out of Asami at least. Hideaki would probably be too absorbed in his experiment to notice what Soul was doing.

"I felt like something was…off. There's something wrong and you two know what is wrong. Please, can you at least tell me what Stein thinks might be wrong? Is Maka in danger?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

Soul nodded.

"Even from your wife?"

Soul hesitated, but proceeded to nod. He needed to know what was wrong. He needed to at least have something to blame.

"Hideaki and I have only seen this in one other instance. The last time, it proved fatal. However, we have studied it and our father has also devoted plenty of time to this subject. What we think is going on is very dangerous for both Mrs. Evans and the unborn child. There is only one way to assure the life of at least one of the two. If we can perform the procedure with perfect timing, then neither the child nor the mother will be harmed."

"What is wrong?"

"We cannot tell you, but was can give you hope. If it is what we think it is, then we know of a way to save at least one of the two. If we do the procedure absolutely perfect, then both will survive. You cannot tell Mrs. Evans of what you have learned until we have made certain that we are correct in our hypothesis. She cannot be burdened by the thought of her or the child dying. Do you understand why you cannot tell her?"

Soul nodded. He saw why Asami had told him, but now it only worried him more. What exactly did Stein and the Twins think was wrong with the child? He didn't think that becoming a father would be this hard for him.

Stein found the Twins after school. They were reviewing their notes over the interviews they had gotten over the day. Stein felt a twinge inside of him that he had only felt on three occasions. The three strange people walked home to the laboratory.

"I suppose you'll want to finalize your notes tonight?"

"We can do that during school tomorrow. Tonight, though we will be helping you in your experiments. Do you have any idea of where you will be starting?"

"It would be best to start with watching the video evidence of this incident and I can check the souls during the video. You two could give me details of your memories during this ordeal. You have a good enough memory to remember something as far back as this," Stein said as he adjusted his glasses. "I was also wondering when you were going to tell me of your slip up with Soul Evans this morning."

Asami stiffened and Hideaki scoffed. Only his sister would be so weak to tell the husband of the subject to worry. He was glad that he was the meister and Asami was his weapon. He didn't have to worry so much about her being weak and buckling since he only needed her to change and match his soul. Being twins, it helped tremendously. He didn't have to feel sorry about upsetting her because she knew it was his nature to not care and she had learned to accept that. After all, their father didn't even fully claim them as his children. He just said their names or the Twins when he spoke to or of them.

"W-w-well, he was genuinely worried and I didn't really say much. I just told him that there was hope and that he shouldn't tell his wife because she couldn't afford to be upset by this."

"Did you take into account that these two are not only married but also have a meister and weapon relationship?"

"What do you mean?"

"Soul's sense of protection of Maka is far greater than any regular husband's. This is from the fact that Soul is Maka's weapon and a weapon's first instinct is to protect his or her meister. If Soul begins to feel that Maka is in too much danger then he will alert her of the danger and attempt to keep her from dying. This is not very good considering the fact that she is probably going to start vomiting energy soon. When he finds that, he will bring Maka to the laboratory and demand that we tell him everything that we know of her condition."

"Oh, I forgot about the energy vomiting."

"Come on Asami! That was the first sign that Father got! He soon realized later that he should have taken that as a sign that something bad was happening! I sometimes wonder if you even are my sister."

Stein could tell Asami was evidently hurt by Hideaki's remark. He knew that he should stand up for her, but wanted to see what she would do. Asami stifled a cry and ran out of the room, leaving Stein to deal with Hideaki.

"You shouldn't be so hard on her. She was just looking out for them."

"And now she's compromised the experiment. I'm terribly sorry, Father, but I don't think it will be a proper testing without the element of an unaware subject."

"Hideaki, this experiment was more of an attempt at advancing the procedure needed to reverse the deformation. Asami did nothing too terrible in telling Soul. A scientist is flexible with variables."

"A scientist controls variables."

"Without variables, there would be no need for testing. All the answers would be laid out neatly."

"Testing proves a question."

"A question must come from an observation of something changing. Variables enact such changes."

Hideaki growled and left Stein alone. Stein sat down on the couch and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He now realized why he hadn't visited the Twins in so long.

Asami was too caring and compassionate. Hideaki was too much like Stein himself, only more of a controller. And Stein, well, he was a failure of a father who couldn't even stand up for his daughter against her brother.

Stein frowned. He knew that Asami had done the right thing in calming Soul, but this would lead to further complications. Soul would demand an explanation for the energy vomit and that would lead to Stein telling a long story. Stein didn't necessarily feel like telling that long story.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Energy Vomit

Soul woke up to the sound of Maka running to the bathroom. He sighed and slowly trudged down the hallway to help her. He had learned the hard way not to get in her way by holding up her hair. He had figured out that rubbing her back and neck softly helped the best.

Maka had only just grown a small bump where the child was. Negus and Stein had said the child was growing at a nice pace and that there was nothing to worry about. Maka had accepted what they said happily. Soul, however, knew that Stein still didn't feel that the child was safe or even right.

"Maka?" Soul asked as he waited outside the bathroom door.

For a while, he didn't hear anything. He waited patiently for her to allow him in. That was, until he saw the bright flash of light and Maka cry out in pain and surprise. Soul burst into the bathroom and saw Maka lying stomach-up on the floor.

She was dazed and seemed more surprised than hurt. Soul picked up her head and checked her pulse, it was racing. He sighed and looked into the toilet to see what had caused all the ruckus. He gasped at what lay inside.

There was a huge glop of glowing light. It almost resembled what Black star's hand looked like when he used a direct soul attack. It was still emitting some kind of shock because arcs of bolts still shot out. Soul turned back to Maka who looked like she was about to vomit again.

"Did this come out last time?"

Maka nodded with fear in her eyes. Soul immediately grabbed Maka, ran down the stairs to his bike, and put her on it. He turned his bike on and began to back out of the garage. Something was definitely going wrong and he needed to get Maka to Stein. He felt uneasy about sending her to him, but he knew that the Twins were there and could keep an eye on Stein.

"Maka, try not to vomit. I know it's going to be hard, but please."

"Mm hmm."

Soul reeved the bike up and began peeling through the small amount of traffic. He drove fast, but not too fast. If he did then Maka would undoubtedly hurl all over the road. Soul didn't want to have to rebuild the street.

He made it to the laboratory and knocked the door down. The computer was up and running, but no one was at the roller chair. Maka leaped out of Soul's arms and dashed to the bathroom. Soul decided to try to find Stein and the Twins.

"Stein! Asami? Hideaki? You guys better wake up!"

"Why are you yelling at such an early hour in the morning, Soul?"

Soul turned around to face Stein who was still in his laboratory coat and clothes he wore on a daily basis. For a moment, Soul wondered if Stein slept in the same outfit. He quickly stopped thinking about that and explained what had happened.

"Yes, that's the first sign. I suppose now my suspicions are true, though that isn't a good thing."

"What is wrong with her?"

"There's nothing wrong with Maka, it would be what's wrong with the baby."

Soul's stomach dropped. He slowly fell into a roller chair and tried to control his breathing. He remembered that he had to go check on Maka and quickly got up. He struggled to get to the bathroom and slowly opened the door.

Maka had vomited more of the soul attack substance into Stein's toilet. The toilet was swirling with yellowish bolts of soul energy. Soul ran over to Maka and began slowly rubbing her back and asking her if she needed anything.

"I need…I need…"

"What she needs is to take this."

Stein handed Maka a vial with vibrant blue coloring to it. Soul looked up at Stein with a confused look, but decided that Stein wouldn't be using Maka entirely as an experiment. Maka took the medicine and began feeling a warmth in her stomach. She turned to Stein and began to stand up.

"What is that?"

"A mixture that helps calm the child. It's completely safe for both of you." Stein said as he pushed his glasses up.

"Are you going to tell us exactly what's going on?"

"I suppose I should, seeing as how you just helped finish the first stage of the experiment."

"Experiment? What first stage?" Maka asked ash she washed he mouth out.

"This experiment is all about fixing a problem . You helped me finish the first stage by correctly diagnosing what your child has. I believe that my explanation should come when you both are sitting down and the medicine has worked most of its magic."

Stein led the couple back to the entrance room. Maka and Soul sat on the couch. Soul squeezed Maka's hand reassuringly. He didn't want her getting scared while he was around to protect her. Stein called the Twins down and waited for them to arrive. Asami had puffy, red eyes that were evidently from her crying. Hideaki seemed ashamed by Asami's appearance. Stein showed no opinion.

"What's happening, Professor Stein?"

"Well, to put it simply, you are vomiting energy. A normal infant would kick and turn in the womb, but your child has no way to do that. Instead, it forces the energy back to you. Since you have enough energy, the excess energy is disposed of. It is nothing to be too worried about, but don't try to stop the energy when it comes." Stein said calmly, like he always did when he explained something.

"Okay, and what exactly do you mean by a normal infant? Is our child not normal?" Soul asked.

"No, your child is an entirely different thing. It is deformed and not a good type of deformation."

"What?" Maka breathed as a look of horror covered her face.

"The deformation won't affect the child physically or mentally. What really has happened is the child's body and soul are not connected. I have only seen this one time. I managed to invent a procedure to put the soul back into the infant's body. But, I had certain variables I hadn't expected. The soul backfired. I saved the child, but the mother died."

Stein watched as Soul tightened his grip on Maka. Maka seemed to be in a state of shock, only listening and absorbing information. The Twins were staring at the ground, wishing they weren't there. Stein knew it would be best for the Twins to be there. After all, they had been there when this happened last time.

"W-will I die?" Maka struggled to even get the question out.

"There is always a chance of death. In this case, the chance is low. I have been experimenting and reviewing the previous case. I realized that I hadn't moved quickly enough in connecting the soul to the body. You see, the soul and body have split the umbilical cord in half. One side feeds the soul, the other feeds the body. The procedure starts there. There is only a limited amount of time before the soul backfires. After the soul is connected to the body, everything else is simple and both the child and mother are safe."

"So, the soul is what kills?"

"The child has never had a chance to unleash any energy, the energy vomit is actually only a small portion of the energy cooped up inside Maka's womb. Think of the child's soul as a nuclear bomb, if the procedure isn't done in the allotted time then the timer goes off and boom."

Maka seemed to tremble while Soul clenched his teeth. Stein knew that Soul was blaming himself for all that had happened, but it wasn't just Soul's fault. Stein decided that it was time to allow the past to come to the present.

"The last time this happened, there was two soulless children. Their mother had vomited far more energy than you had and that ravaged her throat. She was weak and I had only experimented a little. I thought that I didn't have anything to worry about. I should have known, should have experimented more. I had done the procedure on one of the children without any troubles. I turned my attention to the second and began working on it. The soul backfired, killing the mother. I somehow managed to connect the soul and save the child."

"Our mother died the day we were born." Asami spoke up suddenly.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Memories

Maka and Soul realized what had happened. That Stein had lost his own wife to this deformation. The Twins constantly reminded him of his failure and that was the reason why Stein didn't attach himself to them. The Twins only amplified his pain.

"Stein?"

"Yes, Maka?"

"We're sorry."

"Why should you be sorry? You weren't the ones that killed my wife. You didn't fail in saving the one person you truly loved. Why should you be sorry?" Stein asked as he slouched.

Maka was mortified that Stein would blame his own children in front of them! The Twins didn't seem to mind and that only confused Maka. She wondered what kind of past the Twins must have had with Stein.

"We came to an agreement about eight years ago. All of us had some part in the death of our mother. It was our father's fault for not experimenting or doing the procedure correctly. It was ours for being deformed. It was even our mother's fault for wanting children. Fate put all of this together and so the past was created. Now we can save you from such a sad life."

There was silence. No one knew how to really respond to anything that had just been said. Stein was too busy thinking about his wife, the Twins, and his failure. Asami and Hideaki were wondering if their mother was as nice as Stein had made her seem. Maka and Soul were consoling themselves from the information they had just been given.

"So, what do we do now?" Soul asked, breaking the silence and trying to move the conversation forward.

"Now, we finish up testing and prepare Maka for what is going to happen in about four months. We can't have a hysterical mother. Oh, I almost forgot. Maka, there is three people who can do this procedure. Asami, Hideaki, and myself. I thought that you might want to choose your doctor."

Maka hadn't known Asami long enough to really trust her. She definitely didn't want Hideaki. The only person that left was-

"Stein. You were my professor and mentor, I want you to do the procedure."

"Very well. Asami, Hideaki, you two will be my helpers. Soul-"

Soul looked at his teacher. He was helpless to save Maka and that upset him. Stein, who was a meister and not a weapon, didn't fully understand Soul's sense of protection. He had tested Spirit while the man had been his weapon, but still couldn't decipher the instinct to protect.

"You will keep Maka calm. I can't complete the procedure with a hysterical pregnant woman, now can I?"

Stein figured he should give Soul a job. Otherwise, the weapon might feel completely useless and that would only add unneeded stress to the situation.

"Asami, walk Maka through the procedure in detail. I will instruct Soul."

"What do you want me to do, Father?" Hideaki asked quietly.

"Study. You'll be going on a mission soon to collect kishin eggs."

Hideaki knew that his father was just giving him something to keep him busy. He started to practice some of his meister attacks.

Time passed and Hideaki began to think of his first memory. It was right after his father had given him a soul_. He had opened his eyes and stared into his father's eyes. They were swelling with tears, but his father managed to not shed any. Instead, the man pushed up his glasses and wrapped Hideaki in a blanket._

"_You don't seem dangerous, but I know better than to believe that. You are a reason why Akemi is dead. There is more reason than you, like your sister. She is a reason."_

_His father put him into a small cradle. Hideaki turned his head to see a pink blanket wriggling around in a separate cradle. Father turned his attention to the pink blanket._

"_Who will teach you how to be a woman? I certainly have no credentials for such a job. Perhaps I should hire someone to love you. It is possible that you would respond positively to a female role model. Then again, you could reject her entirely and destroy yourself. But why would I care? You are a reason why Akemi is dead."_

Hideaki felt his heart thump. His first memory was not a happy one. He had never thought of the hardship his father had been through in just having Asami and himself to raise. His father had never complained about when Hideaki came crying about a broken machine or tortured animal.

Still, his father had never given a hug or reassured them. He had just thrown Hideaki and Asami into the world, expecting them to adapt and survive. The two had grown up in a world without shelter, and Hideaki did blame his father for the harsh treatment. Hideaki understood it was his father's way of raising children, but he yearned for a father that showed love. A father that wouldn't give confusing riddles, forget birthdays, or attempt to experiment on his own children.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Baby Shower

Months flew by and soon it was only a month before the delivery day. Everyone was ready and waiting anxiously for the day. Maka had stopped vomiting energy, which was a good sign according to Stein. Soul had gotten his nerves under control and kept the façade of cool on all day. Asami and Hideaki had captured twenty seven kishin eggs and were going to wait until after the baby was born before going on another mission. Stein…experimented.

The door rang and Soul eagerly opened it. He had sent Maka to an afternoon at a spa, knowing she needed it and needed her out of the house for a few hours. He was planning a little surprise for her.

"Soul!" Liz and Patty exclaimed happily as they dropped the bags of party supplies on the ground.

"Hey guys, where's Kid?" Soul asked as he looked for the reaper.

"Oh, he should be along soon. Lord Death had to talk to him about something." Liz said as she began unpacking the supplies.

"Oh, Soul! Where's the shampoo?" Blair asked as she started to come out of the bathroom with a small towel wrapped around her body.

"You know where it is Blair!" Soul yelled as he tried to cover his nose that was already starting to bleed.

Blair giggled and closed the door. Liz and Patty quickly began decorating the living room with baby shower decorations. There was blue and pink decorations all around the room in less than five minutes. A sign hung over the hallway saying: It's a baby! The unisex decorations were there because Maka and Soul wanted the gender to be a surprise.

"Soul, where are Tsubaki and Black star?"

"They should be here by-"

"IT IS ME, BLACK STAR! THE GREATEST ASSASSIN EVER!"

Soul was knocked to the ground by Black star who had launched himself from the window in the living room. Tsubaki opened the front door and mumbled something about being sorry.

"Hey, Soul, Tsubaki told me you're pregnant! Why aren't you all fat and ugly?"

"I'm not pregnant, you idiot! Maka is!"

"Oh," Black star said as he turned away from Soul. "That makes more sense! So where is the pregnant woman? You can't have a baby party without a pregnant woman!"

The door swung open as Death the Kid walked in. He saw that the decorating had already started so he sauntered over to Soul and Black star.

"Congratulations, Soul. You must be happy."

"Yeah well, it's cool."

"JUST COOL? MAN, I WOULD BE WAY MORE THAN JUST COOL!" Black star yelled as he spotted punch.

Soul smiled, letting his shark teeth shine. Kid saw Tsubaki and turned to face her.

"So, how is Australia?"

"Busy, Black star and I have been busy."

Kid nodded. He remembered the day that Black star and Tsubaki had accomplished the ultimate mission of collected 99 kishin souls and one witch soul. It was a very joyous occasion. Kid almost cried, though he actually did when he realized Black star had cut his bangs again as a prank.

Kid had also had a day as wonderful as that. It was when his father had made him a reaper. Now he worked with his father, his life's goal. He was happy and content, especially since he got to keep Liz and Patty as his personal weapons still.

"So when is the guest of honor coming back from her afternoon at the spa?"

"In thirty minutes. Do you mind if I borrow Tsubaki, Black star?"

"The mighty Black star deems you worthy to borrow Tsubaki!" Black star said as he gulped down some more punch.

Tsubaki followed Soul into the guest bedroom. She looked around the room that had been changed entirely into a nursery. The walls had been painted a light brown with cream trimming. There was a rocking chair, changing table, and cradle. A small mobile with various objects hung above the cradle. There was a rug on the ground with a beautiful light brown swirl.

"I made this for the baby. That's one of the surprises, but the one I need help with is in the closet."

Soul pulled out a small object that made Tsubaki gasp and her heart flutter. It was a picture with Soul, Maka, and a small infant. The infant didn't have a face yet, but seemed perfect. It was tiny and was so precious. The background was a calm meadow, the sun was setting so peacefully that it made Tsubaki wish the place was real.

"Oh, Soul. That's so beautiful."

"Really? Well, I just need help wrapping it. I tried and it didn't look cool at all."

Tsubaki giggled as she grasped the picture. It took her only a few minutes to wrap the picture perfectly in paper and write down who it was to and from. She then tied a bow neatly around the back and nestled it on the top.

"Is that good enough?" Tsubaki asked as she handed Soul the gift.

"It's amazing, thanks Tsubaki."

"You're welcome." She said with a calm smile.

The door suddenly burst open as Black star dashed in. He found Tsubaki and smiled.

"I was looking for you! Where'd you run off to?"

"I was helping Soul wrap his gift."

"What? We had to bring a gift?"

"We already brought one, remember? We went to the market and bought the gift just yesterday."

"Oh."

Soul took the gift and walked back to the living room. Black star and Tsubaki followed him. Kid was crouched behind the couch. Liz and Patty were beside him.

"I hear someone coming."

"Just remember that if she runs for the bathroom then we don't yell surprise." Soul whispered as he ducked behind the island.

Keys jingled as Maka tried to open the door. Soul had locked it because he didn't want Maka to think anything was out of the ordinary.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the spa, Maka. I actually gave the idea to Soul." Spirit said as he helped Maka open the door.

"Shouldn't you be with Lord Death?"

Spirit stopped and a single tear went down his face. He quickly rebounded. Maka walked inside of her house. It was dark and eerie. She felt-

"Surprise!" Everyone said happily as they jumped out from their hiding places.

"Hey, you are pregnant!" Black star yelled above everyone else.

Maka frowned, but then smiled as she saw Soul and the others had decorated the house.

"Wow, I never expected this."

"The one perk about being pregnant is getting doted on by friends and getting gifts. Did you expect us to let that slide?" Liz said as Patty handed Maka a present wrapped in giraffe paper.

"Is this from you, Patty?"

"How did you know?" Patty asked as she bit her finger nail.

"Lucky guess?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, the lady of honor must open the host's present first!" Kid said as he pushed Soul towards Maka.

"Uh, I'll go last."

"That's not how parties like this go!" Kid ranted.

"Come on Kid, I think we can bend the rules. Here," Black star said as he shoved a gift into Maka's hands. "This is from Tsubaki and me! So I know you're going to like it!"

Maka smiled and began opening the gift. She managed to untie the ribbon that closed the gift bag. Maka gasped when she realized what it was.

"It's- it's a blanket and three outfits. They're perfect." Maka said as she handed the bag to Soul who looked at the contents.

"Maka, sweetie, open mine next." Spirit said as he twirled around, triumphantly handing Maka a rectangle of wrapping paper to be removed.

Maka sighed and opened her father's gift. Inside was a gift that was old, worn, and had plenty of memories stored inside. It was the first time Maka ever felt proud that Spirit was her father. Inside the wrapping paper was a book, but not just any book. This was the first book Spirit ever read to Maka when she was little and had continued to read it every night since then. Maka had grown up, but she still remembered when Spirit would cradle her in his arms and read how a bear found his home.

"Finding Bear's Home." Maka breathed as memories flooded back.

"I figured that you could read it to your child. You could show the wonders of reading to a new generation." Spirit said as he ran his hand through his hair, wondering if Maka liked the gift.

"Thanks…Dad."

Spirit then feinted from Maka's reply. Blair leaped out from wherever she had been hiding and quickly began helping Spirit regain consciousness. Maka smiled and got a warm feeling inside her.

"Uhh, excuse me." Maka said as she got up and calmly went into the bathroom.

Soul followed her because he knew why she was going. Maka immediately fell to the toilet and began spewing more energy. She gagged from the disgusting taste it left and vomited some more. Soul softly rubbed her back and between her shoulders.

"Do you need something to drink?" Soul whispered after Maka stopped vomiting.

"Yeah." She rasped out quietly.

Soul helped Maka stand up and left to get her a small glass of water. Everyone pounced on Soul as soon as he came into the living room.

"How is she?"

"Does she need us to call Negus or Stein?"

"Did she have the baby?"

"What? No! She just got sick. It's the usual thing."

"Oh, so how is she?" Kid asked.

"She should be fine soon. I just need to get her some water."

Soul got the glass of water and returned to the bathroom where Maka had vomited again. Soul sat down and waited for her to ask for the water. She held out her hand, using the other one to wipe her mouth. Soul quietly handed her the cup and watched her drink it. He didn't like that the energy vomit was hurting her, but there was nothing he could do. He also hated how there was nothing he could do.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, let's go back. Our friends are probably worried." Maka said as she looked up at Soul.

Soul could see that Maka wasn't feeling all that better, but he knew that she wouldn't want to stay in the bathroom all day. She wanted to be with her friends and all Soul wanted was to make her happy. He nodded and helped her up. He then swung her into bridal style and carried her into the living room.

"Was that necessary?" She whispered in his ear as he placed her back on the couch.

"Kind of." He replied with a smirk.

Kid, Liz, and Patty brought their presents to be unwrapped. Kid had brought two, for symmetrical purposes. (If he hadn't then his group's presents would be a total of three which was completely unsymmetrical. So he brought two so that his personal total would be symmetrical and the whole group's would be too.) Liz bought a mirror and a book of fashion designer's style preferences. Patty bought a stuffed giraffe animal. Kid bought a picture which was completely symmetrical with black and white shapes. He also bought a stuffed bear that was absolutely beautiful.

"And, sadly, the host's gift is to be opened." Kid said as he frowned.

"Here." Soul said as he handed Maka the picture.

She opened it and stopped moving. She stared at the beauty of the picture, the handiwork that she knew Soul had done perfectly. Maka held the picture, feeling all the emotions that Soul had put into the picture. She stared at the faceless baby.

"I'll finish it in a month. And you can help me hang it."

Maka smiled as she knew exactly what Soul was saying. He loved her so much and he managed to show it in just a simple picture. She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Soul silently kicked himself for giving Maka his present last.

"And there's something from us all. It's the last gift."

"We all put a bit of work into the guest room while you were at work."

Soul closed Maka's eyes and led her to the guest room. Everyone else followed behind, waiting for what Maka's reaction would be to the new nursery. Kid, Liz, Soul, and Spirit had designed the room while Black star, Tsubaki, and Patty bought/built the needed items. They all painted the walls and laid the flooring. It was so perfect that Soul almost couldn't keep it a secret. Almost.

"Welcome to the nursery." Soul whispered in Maka's ear as he let her open her eyes.

Her reaction was better than Soul had thought. Her eyes lit up as her mouth dropped. She let her hands fall to her sides as she stepped around, looking carefully at everything. She stared at the molding, flooring, walls, and furniture. She loved the entire room and couldn't take her eyes off the design.

"You did this…for us?" Maka asked as she turned to her friends.

"Well, a pregnant weakling like you shouldn't have to worry about building a nursery and taking care of a baby." Black star said as he casually crossed his arms.

Kid frowned at Black star's remark, but paid it no mind. It was his own vocabulary and Kid shouldn't get onto him for being himself.

"I suppose that Soul is going to be taking care of things around the house when you first get back." Spirit said while staring at Soul with fire in his eyes.

"Of course I am! I'm not a child!" Soul yelled at Spirit.

"Come on, one day without yelling?" Maka asked while staring at the ground.

Spirit and Soul stopped arguing. They knew Maka had an anger that was only matched by her mother.

The party went fantastic from then on. The food was delicious and laughter lasted throughout the entire festivities. The games, which consisted of basketball, poker, ping pong, and karaoke, were fun and showed some people that they weren't as amazing as they thought (Black star couldn't sing at all).

"Well, we should get going, Tsubaki. After all, pregnant women get moody after a certain time."

"All right, Black star. Goodbye and good luck Maka! You too, Soul!"

Kid, Liz, and Patty stayed behind to help clean up. Spirit talked with Maka, which didn't end too well, so he ended up going home. Maka and Soul finished cleaning up and sat down with the last three attendees.


	8. Chapter 8

(Sorry about the long chapter...I just couldn't find a good stopping point. Hope you like it though!)

Chapter 8: Stein's Gift

"So, are you ready?"

"For the baby? Yeah, we're been waiting for-"

"No, are you ready for the procedure? Stein told Lord Death and me today. That's why I was late. He said that we shouldn't be too alarmed, but I get the feeling that-"

"Kid."

Kid looked at Maka who had a trembling lip. He hadn't expected her to be so scared. He had thought that Stein wouldn't hold information or opinions back, but apparently old habits die hard. Kid took a deep breath and started again.

"I'm not saying that anything will go wrong, but I know Stein. He still thinks of you two as his students and he'll want to shelter you. It took me becoming a reaper to stop him from treating me like a kid. He seems to be protective over his students, which is odd considering how horribly he treats his own children. I'm surprised they aren't more twisted than they are now."

"Stein was the best father he could be. Trust me, Kid, when I say that Stein tried his best. He just doesn't connect well with people and you know that. He fears what he doesn't understand and his kids were the reason he didn't understand something."

"What, that his wife died? I know that whole story, Maka. That's what kept him from raising his children like a normal, good father."

"No! The reason why he wasn't a good father is because-"

"Because I couldn't."

Kid, soul, Maka, Liz, and Patty turned to see Stein and the Twins standing in the doorway. They had arrived to give Maka a present and didn't let anyone know. Maka's face turned red as she began to stare at the ground. She felt so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do.

"While I enjoy how well you are doing, I do wonder why you have decided to speak about my parenting skills. It was a party so I don't see the reason why aside from Kid bringing it up and trying to tell you that I'm treating you like children."

"Professor-"

"I don't want to talk about my past any more than I already have. Now, it is customary for the guest to give a present and so the Twins and I have created this."

Asami and Hideaki handed Maka and Soul identical packages. Stein watched with no emotion as the couple opened the packages. Kid tried to think of something to say, but couldn't. He felt so stupid for talking about this to Maka and Soul.

"The Twins and I decided that these objects were best for you two and the baby."

Soul held up a small baseball cap as Maka held up a tiny apron. They dug deeper into the bags to find a small note.

_**Soul**_

_**If I fail then be sure to raise the child like it should be raised. Don't be afraid of loving what causes pain.**_

_** Franken Stein**_

_**Maka**_

_**Strength survives in the greatest times of weakness. Remember that.**_

_** Franken Stein**_

"Enjoy, we didn't want to ruin the surprise of the gender so we bought for both genders." Asami said even though she knew exactly what Stein had written in the notes. She saw their faces, both reactions completely different from the other.

"I believe that we should be leaving. The party seems to have been over for some time. I will see you in a few weeks for your final checkup." Stein said as he left the house.

Kid stood up, brushed his pants off, said goodbye and left as well. Liz and Patty followed, leaving Soul and Maka alone to figure out exactly why Stein had dropped in.

It happened the night after Maka had gotten her final checkup. Soul had put his arms over Maka, warming her through the night. Maka was sleeping peacefully under the covers. She enjoyed curling up in a small ball throughout the night, but being pregnant had changed that habit. Soul moved a slight bit and Maka changed position to fit perfectly. Then, it happened.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Failure to Rent

Maka felt a wave of pain that started from her back and wrenched up to her stomach. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and breathed out deeply. She slowly breathed in and let out a yelp as another pain erupted quickly, more painfully. Soul, who thought she was having a nightmare, started to put her hands in his, but stopped when he felt her stomach.

"Maka? Are you okay?"

"I think it's time."

"What? But we have at least two more weeks."

"Soul, babies don't usually go with the doctor's schedule! Get ready, now!"

Soul jumped out of the bed and grabbed any clothes lying around the room. He had nerves leaping through him and all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball so he could let the feelings pass. However, Maka needed him. He had to hurry.

"Just breathe, Maka."

"Call Stein!"

"Okay!"

"Soul? What's going on?" Blair asked sleepily.

"The baby's coming!"

Blair gasped and ran back to the bedroom as Soul bolted through the house, trying to find some clothes for Maka in the laundry room. He knew that Maka had just started the countdown and they didn't have much time.

"Uh, Soul?" Blair asked.

"What?"

"I think you should hurry."

"I'm going as fast as I can!"

Soul ran out to the carport, but stopped when he realized the only mode of transportation he had was his motorcycle. He kicked himself mentally for not thinking that the baby would come earlier than they had planned. He had wanted to rent a car before then, but had procrastinated.

Maka yelled in pain as Blair tried to help her to the carport. Soul cursed under his breath and picked Maka up. Blair packed the bag in the side of the bike.

"We're taking the bike?"

"Sorry, I'll drive slowly."

"NO! Drive fast!"

Soul carefully placed Maka on the back of the bike. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable, but figured riding a motorcycle while in labor wasn't the most comfortable of situations. He pulled her arms around him and felt her stomach against his back. This was going to be a long night.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Procedure

Stein had been woken by Asami saying Blair had sent a message saying Soul and Maka were coming. He then realized that the baby had decided to come early.

"Asami, Hideaki, go to the laboratory and get the second room ready. Also, contact Negus and have her come. Our patient will be arriving soon and it would be unwise to waste time."

Stein thought about what lay ahead of him. All of his past would resurface as soon as he held the infant's soul in his hands. He knew that Soul would hate him forever if he even made one little mistake. He couldn't stand the thought of being at fault for Maka's death. Stein decided that he wasn't going to fail. He was going to be the victor this time and change everything.

"Father, the room is ready."

Stein nodded, still in deep thought. He knew what was to happen. He had run through every scenario, both good and bad. He had calculated the numbers over and over. He had practiced the procedure as well as he could. He had gone as far as he could go in experimenting and training. All that was left was the execution of all the work he had put forth.

"Father, Soul and Maka have arrived."

"Good."

"But not in the car you advised."

"What?"

"Look."

Stein looked outside the laboratory window and growled slightly at what he saw. Soul was clumsily helping Maka off of the motorcycle. She was in immense pain and seemed to be fighting back the urge to scream. Stein was mentally kicking Soul for even thinking it was okay to drive a woman in labor to an intense procedure on a motorcycle.

"I think we will have more to worry about than we had anticipated."

Asami grunted and whirled back to go to the laboratory room. Hideaki was finishing in sterilizing the utensils again. She wondered if her father would allow Soul to even watch the procedure. Talking and describing only went so far in something so detailed.

"Father, will you be letting Soul watch?"

"Of course, a father has an obligation to be with the wife during their firstborn. It will calm Maka down, seeing Soul. I taught him the correct reactions to anything that might go on during the procedure. Everyone has a part to play in this."

Soul and Maka burst through the doors. Negus was right behind them. She immediately checked Maka and gave Stein a grave look. Stein nodded and then took Maka from Soul.

"We should hurry and you look exhausted."

Hideaki handed Soul a scrubs outfit. Soul put it on quickly and caught up with the doctor and nurse. Negus led the group. She threw open the doors to the designated room. Stein put Maka on the steel table and stepped back.

Negus started out the procedure with the simplest part: the delivery. This would tire Maka out, but Stein wouldn't need much of her participation. All that would happen in this stage would be the child's body being born. After that came the detachment of the soul and reattachment to the infant's body.

"Maka, I need you to push when I tell you to."

"Okay." Maka said as fear flashed in her eyes and her head spun around the room.

Soul walked up to Maka. She groped for his hand and took a firm hold of it as soon as she found it. He stood there, stroking her hair and telling her everything was going to be all right. She stared into his red eyes as he stared back into her green ones. A moment passed between the two that seemed to be everything Maka needed.

"All right, push!"

Maka did so. She did as well as anyone would in her shoes. Stein watched, remembering how he felt on a day like this. He could literally see himself standing beside Akemi, telling her the major arteries and names of the stars. She smiled at him, with that warm smile that made Stein always forget his urge to dissect. That smile that seemed to brighten even the darkest of days.

"Professor Stein, you're up!" Negus yelled from behind the halfway drawn curtain.

Stein walked over to the table, seeing the fear begin to return in her eyes. He placed his hand on her calf and whispered what he had written in his note to her. She nodded and determination appeared in her face.

"This shouldn't take too long, but you cannot lose consciousness or make any sudden noises. Soul, make sure she stays awake."

And with that, Stein set to work. He had to first locate the soul, which had the separated half of the umbilical cord. He found it easily enough and had Maka push it out. That was when he realized a problem he had not expected.

"Father?"

"What's wrong?" Soul asked, squeezing Maka's hand.

"It appears that the soul has wrapped itself up in the umbilical cord. I wondered why you weren't vomiting enough energy. This has twice the amount of energy stored up than I had anticipated. A turn of unexpected events. Nothing to worry too much about, though."

Stein carefully began untangling the soul. It was a magnificent green color that was vibrant and dark at the same time. He could feel joy from the soul and excitement to live. He had felt that the last time he touched a soul in this situation. It brought back so many emotions and Stein had no idea how to deal with them. He decided it would be best to block them for the moment.

"Hey, Maka, you did amazing. So cool to be your weapon right now." Soul said as he gave her his trademark shark tooth grin.

"Love you too, Soul." Maka said while she tried to get her breathing back to normal.

Asami remembered her first memory. Stein was holding her, the only time he ever had.

"_I can see why people have strong feelings about children. You are very beautiful, very interesting. Isn't she, Akemi?"_

_Asami craned her neck so she could see a woman with long black hair. She was lying on the bed while a dumbstruck doctor stood beside her. Asami began crying and so Stein handed Akemi the baby._

"_Asami…you are so very beautiful. You have your father's eyes." Akemi said as she stroked Asami's patch of hair._

_Stein was working hard to bring Hideaki into the world. Asami didn't watch. She was looking at her mother. She grasped every detail, knowing it wasn't going to last. Although Stein kept a perfectly straight face, Asami knew what was to happen. She forced her mouth to move. She had to get one message to her mother._

_Hideaki and Asami had figured out their souls were not attached and had tried to warn Stein. He paid the warnings no mind, until it was too late. The Twins knew that Stein needed to experiment more than he had. Hideaki understood that one of them was to be the death of their mother. So they devised a plan, inside the womb, that whoever got out first had to give their mother a message. They had managed to learn a few phrases during the final months in their mother's womb that would be useful in this situation._

"_W-w-we l-l-l-ove Mommy." Asami somehow stuttered the words that she had learned. _

_Akemi stared at Asami. Stein hesitated, but quickly began working again. He removed Hideaki's soul and an explosion erupted. Akemi did say one last thing._

"_Mommy loves you two."_


	11. Chapter 11

(I really enjoyed writing this and hope to do more soon. Also, just to clarify what I stated in the first chaper: I DO NOT own any of Soul Eater, aside from the Twins.)

Chapter 11: A New Family (A Fresh Start)

"I've gotten it untangled. Things should be easier now." Stein said as he started on the tricky work.

Soul waited. He knew that this was going to be hard. He could feel the tension and tried to erase it by talking to Maka. She seemed to respond well to the distraction.

Stein had gotten to the hardest part. He had to detach the soul and put it into the child. He felt the infant's soul, gently connecting with it. The child was extremely energetic and restless. Stein calmed it down and commenced to leading it out of the dangerous form. He found that the best way was to say the child was late for a celebration. The child followed without questioning and soon was right where Stein wanted it.

"Now we attach the soul." Stein whispered to himself.

The soul became detached from the umbilical cord. Stein quickly transferred it from the open air and thrust it into the body. He then waited for a few seconds.

"Maka?"

"Yes?"

"Are you dizzy at all?"

"A little."

"You should rest then because your baby boy is going to be handful."

Maka felt joy rush through her and destroy any fear she had before. Soul began laughing and crying. His worries were all gone. He trembled and heard a loud cry. Maka and Soul looked as Negus handed the two their baby boy.

"So, what's the little tike's name?"

"We found the perfect name. Ken Hisoka Evans." Maka and Soul said at the exact same time.

"Oh? Well, I do see how fitting that name would be. The child's soul is perfectly described by the name." Negus said as she wrote it down on the certificate of birth.

The atmosphere had lightened to where the past was completely blocked had. Soul held his son who grabbed his finger. Soul gasped and then smiled.

"He's got a good grip."

"He should. His soul practically screamed strength." Stein said calmly as he began to leave the room.

He fell onto the couch, letting his suppressed emotions run their course. He ran his hands through his hair and lit a cigarette. He let out a ring of smoke just as two sets of footsteps came down the hall.

"Father, tomorrow we will be leaving for home. We trust you will drop us off the enrollment sheet." Hideaki said with no emotion.

"I'll take care of that. I'm guessing that since you're leaving you finished your experiment."

"Yes."

"And your findings?"

Asami lifted a clipboard and flipped through their notes. She came to their final report and handed the clipboard to her father. He began reading it aloud.

"Asami Stein and Hideaki Stein embarked upon a quest to answer the question that they had asked themselves. What makes a great partner in any relationship? (I.e. father/child, husband/ wife, girlfriend/ boyfriend, and so on.) The best way to answer was to ask people in real life situations. To do so, the Twins enrolled in an academy and asked students that attended along with adults in the surrounding city. The result was that an ideal partner should be caring, passionate, loving, truthful, loyal, trustworthy, and respectful. Any unsuccessful relationships were found to have at least two or more of these criteria missing. Tests of scenarios and reviewing the accounts have led Asami and Hideaki Stein to believe that anyone lacking such would be subject to failed relationships with family and friends," Stein turned to the Twins. "Are you stating that I am not a good father because of my actions towards you?"

"No, we are stating that you were not a good father because you lacked the behavior and intuition needed. It is most likely due to a horrible relationship with your parent or parents." Hideaki said coldly.

Asami forced herself not to crumble under the rude statement Hideaki had said. She knew that Hideaki had wanted to help their father progress by showing his faults in fatherly duties. However, Asami thought that this was too forward, too brutal of a way. She thought that her father was probably doing the same thing she was: remembering Akemi. She watched as her father did nothing.

Stein sat there, feeling the sense of failure sweep through his mind again. He hadn't expected Hideaki to do this so soon after the procedure. He thought that the Twins would have waited until at least the next day before bringing up their experiment. Stein knew that Hideaki was searching for a response, a certain response that would bring the three together. But…there was no way Stein could truthfully respond in the way Hideaki and Asami wanted. He turned his screw slowly, letting time slip by and hoping that someone would come to stop the intervention.

"I can tell that you two want me to say that I love you and that I feel terrible that I raised you so terribly. You want me to hug you and play games with you and become the perfect father. This is impossible because it is not my nature to be so open with emotions. You are all that I have left of Akemi so I believe that stands as some idea of my feelings toward you two."

"It is your fault for not being able to be a father to us! You let Mother's death cage you up inside yourself! You were afraid that if you loved us then we would be torn from you so you decided to push us away! You sent us off to Mother's parents and only visited once a year! You thought that paying for our education would repay for not being there but it didn't! Then you had the gall to pay for that house just a few miles from where you lived, but we could never see you! You worked at the DWMA, always so close to kids and yet you couldn't face your own children! You don't even claim us as yours! We're always 'The Twins' or 'Hideaki and Asami'! How can you even call yourself a father when you don't even recognize your children as yours?" Hideaki yelled angrily at Stein.

"Attachment always leads to pain. All three of us have had our fair share of pain so why deepen it?"

"Relationships are not doomed form the start! We can fix this, become a real family! Let us in, Father, and we can be together without any worries." Asami spoke up suddenly.

Asami's sudden outburst was unexpected. She usually watched Stein and Hideaki fight and then calmed them down with a funny anecdote or joke. She joining into the fight, and on Hideaki's side, proved to Stein that he had been wrong in retreating from the Twins. The only problem was-

"The reason why I cannot let you in is because I don't know how. People have always feared or avoided me. I have friends, but none of them truly know me. I have attempted to figure out this way of letting people in, but it always escapes me. Only Akemi could get me to open up to her." Stein said softly as he traced a scar on his face.

Asami sat down beside her father. She took his hand off his face and put it on hers. He looked at her eyes that were exactly like his. He could see her want to know him. Hideaki sat down beside his father and put his hand on his father's shoulder. Asami pulled her father's hand into her own while never taking her eyes off his.

"Let us help you. That's what families are for after all, right?" She said as she ruffled his hair gently.

"I suppose so."

**THE END**


End file.
